Where: UD Arena.
When: 7 p.m. Monday.
TV/Radio: Spectrum News 1 and ESPN+/95.7 and 1290 WHIO.
Series: First meeting.
Coaches: Anthony Grant is 102-52 entering his sixth season at Dayton. Kyle Gerdeman enters his fourth season at Lindenwood. He’s 34-43.
Last game: Dayton ended the 2021-22 season with a 70-68 loss at Vanderbilt in the second round of the NIT. The Flyers finished 24-11. Lindenwood lost 89-77 to William Jewell College in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament.
Probable Dayton starters
Name, Ht., Class, Pos., Points per game (last season’s numbers)
DaRon Holmes II, 6-10, So., F, 12.7
Toumani Camara, 6-8, Jr., G 10.9
Kobe Elvis, 6-2, R-So., G, 8.5
R.J. Blakney, 6-6, R-So., G, 6.1
Mike Sharavjamts, 6-8, Fr., G/F
Probable Lindenwood starters
Kevin Caldwell Jr., 5-11, Sr., G, 14.0
Brandon Trimble, 6-2, Sr., G, 8.4
Chris Childs, 6-2, Sr., G, 7.2
Cam Burrell, 6-7, Sr., F, 3.0
Keenon Cole, 6-7, Jr., F, 11.9
About Dayton: Dayton has won 17 straight season openers. It has not lost its first game since losing 73-66 to Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 21, 2004. ... The Flyers open the season ranked 24th in the Associated Press poll and 25th in the USA Today Coaches Poll. This is the first time Dayton has ranked in the AP preseason poll since it was No. 21 in the 2009-10 season. ... Sharavajamts will become the first NCAA Division I player from Mongolia when he makes his debut. He had nine points in 28 minutes in an 80-42 victory against Capital University in an exhibition game Oct. 29. He led the team in the plus-minus stat. Dayton outscored Capital by 40 points when he was on the court. ... The other scholarship player who could make his UD debut is Georgia transfer Tyrone Baker.
About Lindenwood: Lindenwood, located in St. Charles, Mo., competed at the NAIA level through the 2010-11 school year and played at the NCAA Division II level through last season. It is now making the transition to Division I and will compete in the Ohio Valley Conference but is ineligible for the NCAA tournament. Lindenwood last enjoyed a winning season in 2017-18 (16-13). ... The Lions graduated three starters: Jacoby Ross (19.5 points per game); Romelo Burrell (16.5); and Brandon Suggs (7.7 points). ... Childs is a transfer from Bryant College. He left he program after 16 games last season. He averaged 14.0 points in 21 games the previous season. ... Burrell played the last two seasons at Western Illinois and averaged 3.0 points in 27 games last season. ... Cole played at Polk State, a junior college, last season.
Looking ahead: Dayton plays Southern Methodist University at 7 p.m. Friday at UD Arena. SMU opens the season at home against Texas A&M-Commerce on Monday.
Credit: David Jablonski
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